Apparatus for controlling the contact pressure between a contact roller and a winding up roll in winders

ABSTRACT

A apparatus for controlling the contact pressure between a contact roller and a winding roller of winding machines includes means for supporting the contact roller in such rigid manner as substantially considered to be a fixed support, means for detecting at the contact roll the contact pressure between the contact roller and winding roller and means for urging the winding roller toward the contact roller to provide a contact pressure therebetween. The pressure detected at the contact roller by the pressure detecting means is fed to a pneumatic control means which operates in response to the detected pressure to automatically regulate the contact pressure applied through the winding roller at a predetermined level.

United States Patent Mukai et al. [451 June 20, 1972 54] APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE 2,196,000 4/1940 Richardson ..242/65 CONTACT PRESSURE BETWEEN A 2,176,198 10/1939 Berry CONTACT ROLLER AND A WINDING 2,837,293 6/1958 Clem ..242/65 UP ROLL IN WINDERS Hideo Mukai; Kimihiro Wada, both of Kyoto, Japan Inventors:

Assignce: Nishimura Seisakusho Co.,

Ltd.,

Foreign Application Priority Data July 30, 1969 Japan ..44/6022l U.S. Cl ..242/67.l, 242/752, 242/7553 Int. Cl. ..B65h 23/00, B65h 17/02 Field of Search ..242/65, 68.5, 56.9, 66, 67.5,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/l940 Simonds ..242/65 Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Assistant ExaminerEdward J. McCarthy AtlorneyM0rgan, Finnegan, Durham 84 Pine 57 ABSTRACT A apparatus for controlling the contact pressure between a contact roller and a winding roller of winding machines includes means for supporting the contact roller in such rigid manner as substantially considered to be a fixed support, means for detecting at the contact roll the contact pressure between the contact roller and winding roller and means for urging the winding roller toward the contact roller to provide a contact pressure therebetween. The pressure detected at the contact roller by the pressure detecting means is fed to a pneumatic control means which operates in response to the detected pressure to automatically regulate the contact pressure applied through the winding roller at a predetermined level.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUHZO 1272 SHEET 1 or 2 d! 5&5 ATTORNEY PATENTEDJUHZO 1572 3. 670 980 SHEET 20F 2 Y INVENTORS 650m Maw! fX wM/w Mia/4 ATTORNE APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE CONTACT PRESSURE BETWEEN A CONTACT ROLLER AND A WINDING UP ROLL IN WINDERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a control device for controlling the contact pressure between a winding-up roll and a contact roller at desired values in a winder in which a continuous material is wound up on the winding-up roll through the contact roll by the central drive, or the surface drive, or the combined central and surface drive.

The contact pressure between the contact roller and the winding-up roll should be predetermined and controlled according to the material to be wound, the length of the material and the winding up tension required. For example, in the case where a thick paper sheet is to be wound extremely tightly on a winding-up roll, a relatively large contact pressure is required. On the contrary, if a thin, soft film is to be wound, it is desired to regulate the contact pressure at substantially zero or negative value to prevent any deformation of the material. However, these requirements have not satisfactorily been met with any of conventional winders.

The conventional winders are classified into the following two typical types:

A. A winder having a winding-up roll rotatably supported at a fixed position and a contact roller in contact with the wind ing up roll with a light contact pressure and adapted to move backward as the winding diameter is increased; and

B7 A winder having a contact roller supported at a fixed position and a winding-up roll which is in contact with the contact roller adapted to move backward as the winding diameter is increased.

It is a common disadvantage to the above mentioned two types of winders that it is difficult to detect the contact pressure between the contact roll and the winding-up roll and accordingly to positively and exactly control the contact pressure as desired. The winders of the type A can only be used for winding a thin and soft film because the contact pressure of the contact roller is very small as the contact roller lies on the winding-up roll with no other additional weight than its own weight. The winders of the type A are also disadvantageous in that they cannot be operated at a higher speed since the winding-up operation at a high speed will cause the contact roller to jump and bounce. On the contrary, the winding machines of the type B cannot be used for the winding up of a thin, soft film.

An attempt was made to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages with the conventional winders of the type A or B. Namely, both the contact roller and the winding-up roll are movably supported and a predetermined pressure is applied to the winding roll through the contact roller. Any displacement of the contact roller due to an increase in the diameter of the winding-up roll is detected and the winding-up roll is positively moved backward by an automatic control in such a manner that the contact roller is moved back to the original, predetermined position, with the result being an automatic control of the contact pressure. The winders of this type are very expensive as they employ a continuously proportional integration control means utilizing hydraulic power or electric signals. Another disadvantage of this type lies in the fact that it is possible to transmit a large drive power through the contact roller because the contact roller is movably supported. In addition, it is extremely difficult to operate the winder at a high speed and with a high contact pressure to obtain a tight and hard winding since the contact roller tends to jump or resonate.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and useful winding machine in which the contact pressure between a contact roller and a winding-up roll is automatically cntrolled as desired as the winding diameter is increased.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and simple pneumatic means for detecting the contact pressure between a contact roller and a winding roll of winding machines.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and useful device for controlling the contact pressure between a contact roller and a winding-up roll in winders through the utilization of pneumatic power.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The winder to which the present invention is applied includes a winding-up or winding roll for winding thereon, the material to be wound, a contact roller which is always in contact with the winding surface of said winding roll, and means for supporting said winding-up roll in such a manner that said winding-up roll is moved backward as the winding diameter is increased. The apparatus for controlling the contact pressure between the contact roller and the winding-up roll comprises means for supporting said contact roller at such an extremely high rigidity as substantially considered to be a fixed support, means for detecting at said contact roller the contact pressure between said contact roller and said winding-up roll, means for urging said winding-up roll to said contact roller to provide a contact pressure therebetween, an automatic control means for controlling said contact pressure applied through said winding-up roll in response to the contact pressure detected at said contact roller.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the contact roller is supported by a support member which is in turn resiliently supported by an extremely strong spring so that said contact roller is maintained substantially at a fixed position. Means for detecting the contact pressure at said contact roller may comprise means for detecting any movement of said support member against the force of said spring due to the contact pressure applied to said contact roller. The movement of the support member may be detected by pneumatic means for supplying an air pressure to a predetermined portion of the support member. The pneumatic means described produces an output air pressure in response to the contact pressure applied to the contact roller. The pneumatic means may preferably comprise a nozzle for supplying an air pressure to a flapper which is mounted on the support member for the contact roller. The noule is spaced from the flapper and has a port for detecting the air pressure actually applied to said flapper. The force of urging the winding-up roll to the contact roller is then pneumatically controlled in response to the air pressure detected at said nozzle. 7

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a contact pressure controlling device for winding machines embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a enlarged fragmental view of a pressure detecting portion of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, a winding machine with a novel contact pressure controlling device embodying this invention includes a contact pressure sensing or detecting mechanism and a contact pressure regulating mechanism. As best shown in FIG. 2, the contact pressure sensing mechanism comprises a contact roller 1 which is rotatably mounted on a supportarm 2. The support arm is integrally connected to an elongated lever 4 to form a generally V-shaped roller support. The roller support is pivotally held at its intermediate point by a shaft and fixedly held at the end of the lever portion 4 by a support means generally indicated by the reference numeral 5. Support means 5 includes a coil spring 8 having an extremely large spring constant and held on a lower fixed support member 6. Support means 5 further includes a stopper I1 threadingly secured to an upper fixed support member 9 and having a vibration absorbing rubber 10 attached to its contact surface. One end 4a of the lever is disposed and held between the coil spring 8 and the stopper 1 1 in an essentially rigid manner. The lever 4 in turn substantially rigidly supports the contact roller 1 via the arm 2. The coil spring 8 and stopper 1 1 may suitably be adjusted such that they provide in cooperation a force sufficient to support the weight of contact roller 1.

Pneumatic means 12 for sensing the contact pressure of the roller 1 is provided at a position adjacent the sandwiched end 4a of the lever. Pneumatic means 12 comprises a flapper 15 mounted by a fastening screw 13 and a lock nut 14 to the lever 4 and a cooperating stationary body 19. The stationary body 19 is disposed directly beneath the flapper l and a shallow nozzle bore 16 of relatively large diameter is formed at the top of this stationary body in substantial alignment with the flattened bottom surface of the flapper 15. The stationary body 19 is also formed with an air supply port 17 and a pressure detecting or sensing port 18, both of which communicate with the nozzle bore 16. The flapper and the stationary body 19 are preferably positioned in complete parallel relation toeach other with a slight gap therebetween. For this purpose, flapper 15 has a spherical support surface 20 which rides on a mating concave support surface made within the lever 4. With this support arrangement, any incidental inclination of the flapper in any direction with respect to the upper bored surface of the stationary member is effectively corrected and the flapper is kept in the desired parallel relation upon urging down the upper end of the flapper by rotating the fastening screw 13. The air gap S between stationary member 19 and flapper 15 is maintained in the order of microns under condition where no extrenal force is acted on the contact roller 1. As best seen in FIG. 1 air under pressure is fed from a suitable pressure source (not shown) through a main reducing valve 28 and an auxiliary reducing valve 29 into the nozzle bore 16. The pressure of air into the nozzle is adjusted by the auxiliary reducing valve 29 so as to keep the pressure within the nozzle bore 16 at substantially zero while no external force is applied to the contact roller 1, during which the pressure air is allowed to leak out through the gap S. This means that under such state essentially no force is imparted to the lever 4 by the pressure air in the nozzle bore 16. It is pointed out that the flapper 15 has a rubber ring 21 attached to the bottom surface so as to surround the outer periphery of the nozzle bore 16. The construction of the contact pressure sensing mechanism having been described, the pressure sensing operation of the mechanism is now explained. Assume that no external force is acted on the contact roller 1, then the air fed through supply aperture 17 into the nozzle bore 16 leakes out to atmosphere through the gap 5 between the flapper and the stationary body 19 keeping the pressure within the nozzle at substantially zero as mentioned above. In this state, no force is given to the lever 4 in vertically upward direction by the nozzle air. The weight of the contact roller 1 and its associated mounting means are supported solely by the support means 5 in a substantially rigid manner. As a force is applied to the contact roller 1 in an upward direction by the increasing winding diameter of the rolled up material 22, the lever 4 is pivoted downward on the shaft 3 against the coil spring 8. The coil spring is then compressed to a slight degree in an axial direction and the gap S is also slightly reduced due to the vertically downward movement of the lever. A reduction of the gap S between the flapper and stationary body brings about an increase of air pressure within the nozzle bore 16. As the result, a force corresponding to the product of the air pressure by the nozzle area reacts to the flapper 15. The positive force acts on the contact roller 1, and thus on the supported lever 4 which balances in the final analysis with the combined reaction force induced by the pressure air and the compressed coil spring. At

this point, it should be pointed out that a relatively large reaction force is produced by the nozzle air by a minimum amount of vertical displacement of the lever due to the fact that the nozzle bore 16 has a large bore diameter while the air gap S has a minimum vertical distance in the order of microns. Thus,

the stress variations to be caused in the vibration absorber rubber 10 and the strong coil spring 8 by the lever displacement are within an extremely small range. With this novel arrangement of the pressure sensing mechanism, even if the strain-stress relations of the coil spring and absorber rubber employed are somewhat out of a complete direct proportion due to a lack of linearity in their performance curve of compression, the air pressure in the nozzle bore 16 changes in exact proportional response to the change of external force on the roller 1 which is a general function of the contact pressure between the roller 1 and a winding roller 23 to be described later. With this arrangement, any external or contact force acting on the roller 1 is sensed or detected out as a variation of the air pressure in the nozzle bore 16. his to be understood that in actual mechanism the air pressure as sensed in the nozzle bore does not necessarily becomes zero while the contact roller 1 is completely free of any external force. Accordingly, if a suitable pressure indicator instrument is connected to the pressure sensing aperture 18 the pressure reading on the instrument may be slightly greater than zero. A

Although the detected air pressure in the nozzle bore changes in exact proportion to the contact pressure on the roller 1, the upper limit of the air pressure is determined by the pressure of the compressed air supply source. It is, therefore, important to select the pressure of the air supply source in connection with the maximum force or contact pressure desired to be detected by the sensing mechanism.

In short, the contact pressure on the contact roller 1 is sensed by means of the air pressure within the nozzle bore 16.

The contact pressure controlling mechanism of the present device is now explained with particular reference to FIG. 1. The mechanism includes a pneumatic piston cylinder 26.The piston rod 27 of the cylinder is connected via a crank arm 25 to a winding shaft 23 for supporting a winding roller 22. As shown,the crank arm 25 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 24. The piston cylinder 26 is adapted to pneumatically drive the winding roller 22 toward and away from the contact roller 1 in order to control the contact pressure between the contact roller and the winding roll in response to the air pressure detected at the pressure sensing port 18. Pneumatic pressure in the piston cylinder 26 is regulated by a servo valve 31. The servo valve 31 is connected at its left control port to the pressure sensing port 18 of the sensing mechanism and at its right control port to the supply source via a reducing valve 30. The servo valve 31 further includes an air supply port and an air discharge port which are adapted to be selectively communicated with the piston cylinder 26. The air pressure detected at the sensing port 18 is applied to the valve 31 through the left control port of the servo valve 31 while a predetermined reference air pressure as set by the reducing valve 30 and indicated by a pressure indicator 37 is applied to the valve 31 through the right control port. With this arrangement, the servo valve 31 operates to connect the piston cylinder 26 either to the air supply side or the air discharge side in response to the pressure difference between the reference air pressure and the detected air pressure to offset such pressure deviation and thereby to control the contact pressure. More specifically, if the air pressure detected at the sensing port 18 is lower than the predetermined reference pressure the servo valve 31 operates to communicate the air supply port with the cylinder 26 permitting compressed air into the cylinder. As the air is introduced into the cylinder 26 it pushes the piston rod 27 forward to drive the winding roll 22 in clockwise direction toward the contact roller 1. The clockwise rotation of the winding roller 22 together with the wound-up material 22b brings the wound-up material into pressure engagement with the contact roller 1 to increase the contact pressure between the winding roller 22 and the contact roller 1. As the result, the contact roller is pushed upward and the lever portion 4 in turn is brought vertically downward against the force of the coil spring 8 reducing the air gap S between the flapper 15 and the stationary body 19. As has been described previously, a reduction of the preselected air gap S causes a corresponding increase of air pressure in the nozzle 16. This increase of the air pressure in the nozzle is detected at the sensing port 18 and directly applied to the servo valve 31. If the detected air pressure as applied to the servo valve rises over the predetermined reference pressure, the servo valve 31 operates to disconnect the piston cylinder 26 from the air supply port and connect it to the air discharge port. The air in the cylinder is thus discharged therefrom retracting back the piston rod 27. As the piston rod retracts, the winding roller 22 is moved away from the contact roller 1 in counter-clockwise direction thereby relieving the contact pressure between the winding roller and the contact roller. Decrease of the contact pressure on the roller 1 allows the lever to return toward its original position wherein the nozzle pressure as detected by the sensing port 18 approaches the predetermined value. If the detected air pressure reaches the predetermined reference air pressure, the servo valve 31 shuts off the cylinder 26 from both the supply and discharge ports to keep the contact roller 1 and the winding roller 22 in a pneumatically balanced condition. in this manner, the servo valve 31 operates the piston cylinder 26 such that any deviation of the detected air pressure from the predetermined reference pressure may be corrected, thereby to control the contact pressure between the contact roller and the winding roller at a desired value.

In short, the contact pressure control mechanism works to keep the detected pressure, and thus the contact pressure on the roller 1 at a precise predetermined value through the regulation of the air pressure within the piston cylinder 26. It is noted that the desired control over the contact pressure is obtained regardless of the changes in the weight of the wound-up material 22 and the angular position of the arm 25 with respect to a horizontal line.

It is also possible with the present controlling device to control "negative contact pressure.

For example, if the rolled material 22b moves away from the contact roller 1, a negative pressure is imparted to the roller by the tension of the continuous web 39 of material running through a guide roller 38 over the contact roller. This negative contact pressure which tends to push the contact roller downward increases as the rolled material 22b moves further away from the contact roller 1 and the contact roller is thereby pushed downward by the pulling tension of the running web 39 of material. The downward movement of the contact roller forces the lever portion 4 from the substantially fixed position slightly upward against the rubber and a corresponding negative air pressure is detected at the port 18. Thus, by adjusting the reference air pressure at a desired negative value the winding roller 22 is held at a position spaced a predetermined distance away from the contact roller. 1 causing a predetermined negative force to be imparted to the contact roller.

In actual winding operation, it is necessary to raise or lower the support arm 25 at the end of the winding cycle in order to remove the wound-up material 22b and set another winding roller 22 at a winding start position as indicated by the broken line in FIG. 1. With the present controlling device, this is conveniently effected by operating the piston cylinder 26 through a suitable control valve (now shown). A throttle valve 34 is used to regulate the operational speed of the piston cylinder 26 by controlling the flow rate of the pressure air into and out of the cylinder chamber. Another throttle valve 33 is connected in the reference air supply line to permit a slight leakage of the reference air into atmosphere, which assures a stable reference air pressure and a quick operational response of the servo valve to the changing detected pressure. A pressure indicator 35 shows the pressure of the supply air.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the controlling apparatus of the present invention is capable of setting and regulating the contact pressure with respect to the rolled up material at a desired value ranging from zero or negative pressures to extremely higher pressures. With a winding machine having this control apparatus incorporated, it is entirely possible to wind up a wide variety of continuous web materials such as paper, cloth, plastic film etc. on a winding roller at a desired contact pressure depending on the material to be wound. For example, a relatively thick paper web may be tightly wound up around the roller at a higher contact pressure, while a thin, soft film of material may successfully be wound up at a relatively low contact pressure. Having been supported in such high rigidity as considered to be a fixed supporting, the contact roller in the present control apparatus has an extremely high natural vibration frequency making a resonance thereof difiicult to occur at higher operational speeds. Accordingly, the present control apparatus renders possible a satisfactory winding operation of the winding machine at higher operational speeds irrespective of the material to be handled. Further, with the control apparatus of this invention the contact pressure between the contact roller and the winding roller, thus the pressure on the wound material is automatically controlled at a predetermined level through novel pressure sensing and pressure regulating means. This saves the operator troublesome chores.

While the present invention has been described in connection with details of a illustrative embodiment, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed and that it is intended to cover all modifications which are within the true spirit and scope of this invention as defined.

What we claim is:

1. ln a winder having a winding roller for winding material thereon, a contact roller adapted to be constantly in contact with the winding roller during the operation of the winder, the improvement comprising:

means for rigidly supporting the contact roller;

means for mounting the contact roller supporting means to afford limited movement of the contact roller and deflection of the contact roller supporting means as the diameter of the winding roller increases;

means for moving the winding roll toward and away from the contact roller;

a flapper fixedly formed on a surface of the support means for the contact roller;

a stationary body aligned in spaced ralationship with the an air supply port in the stationary body terminating at the surface of the stationary body opposite the flapper;

a source of pressurized air;

means to deliver the pressurized air to the air supply port to provide a constant predetermined pressure at the space between the flapper and the surface of the stationary body opposite the flapper;

a pressure detecting port in the stationary body; and

means for analyzing pressure change at the pressure detecting port and activating the means for moving the winding roll with respect to the contact roller until the contact roller has moved to a position wherein the air pressure in the space between the flapper and the surface of the stationary body opposite the flapper is at the predetermined pressure.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for mounting the contact roller supporting means to afford limited movement of the contact roller and deflection of the contact roller supporting means is comprised of a spherical support surface structure, a surface in the contact roller supporting means formed to mate with the contour of the spherical support surface, a fixed support to prevent deflection of the contact roller supporting means in all planes but one and a coil spring arranged to allow deflection of the contact roller support means after a predetermined force is imposed thereon in the plane in which the fixed support does not prevent deflection.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for moving the winding roll toward and away from the contact roller is comprised of a bellcrank, one arm of which mounts the center of the winding roll and a piston actuation, the piston rod of which is attached, at its end opposite the piston, to the other arm of the bellcrank.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the means for analyzing the pressure at the pressure detecting port and activating the means for moving the winding roll is a servo valve.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for supplying pressurized air to the air supply port is comprised of a conduit 5 from the air supply source to the pressure supply port and pressure reducing valves in the conduit. 

1. In a winder having a winding roller for winding material thereon, a contact roller adapted to be constantly in contact with the winding roller during the operation of the winder, the improvement comprising: means for rigidly supporting the contact roller; means for mounting the contact roller supporting means to afford limited movement of the contact roller and deflection of the contact roller supporting means as the diameter of the winding roller increases; means for moving the winding roll toward and away from the contact roller; a flapper fixedly formed on a surface of the support means for the contact roller; a stationary body aligned in spaced ralationship with the flapper; an air supply port in the stationary body terminating at the surface of the stationary body opposite the flapper; a source of pressurized air; means to deliver the pressurized air to the air supply port to provide a constant predetermined pressure at the space between the flapper and the surface of the stationary body opposite the flapper; a pressure detecting port in the stationary body; and means for analyzing pressure change at the pressure detecting port and activating the means for moving the winding roll with respect to the contact roller until the contact roller has moved to a position wherein the air pressure in the space between the flapper and the surface of the stationary body opposite the flapper is at the predetermined pressure.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for mounting the contact roller supporting means to afford limited movement of the contact roller and deflection of the contact roller supporting means is comprised of a spherical support surface structure, a surface in the contact roller supporting means formed to mate with the contour of the spherical support surface, a fixed support to prevent deflection of the contact roller supporting means in all planes but one and a coil spring arranged to allow deflection of the contact roller support means after a predetermined force is imposed thereon in the plane in which the fixed support does not prevent deflection.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for moving the winding roll toward and away from the contact roller is comprised of a bellcrank, one arm of which mounts the center of the winding roll and a piston actuation, the piston rod of which is attached, at its end opposite the piston, to the other arm of the bellcrank.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the means for analyzing the pressure at the pressure detecting port and activating the means for moving the winding roll is a servo valve.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for supplying pressurized air to the air supply port is comprised of a conduit from the air supply source to the pressure supply port and pressure reducing valves in the conduit. 